Ex-ESPN star Jemele Hill brings race into Kevin Stefanski Falcons hiring situation
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Former ESPN star Jemele Hill weighed in with NFL fans after posting about hiring Kevin Stefanski as head coach after spending time with the Atlanta Falcons managing the Cleveland Browns.
Stefanski was hired to replace Raheem Morris, who served only two seasons as the team’s head coach. Morris was previously the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams and Falcons. He also served as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
Jemele Hill speaks on stage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards Benefit Concert at the Pasadena Convention Center on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Hill claimed on social media that Falcons fans were “eyeing” Stefanski’s hire because of the way he handled the Shedeur Sanders issue and because Atlanta is a “Black city.”
“(Former NFL wide receiver) Harry Douglas was absolutely right,” he wrote on X on Friday. “None of the Falcons fans I know like the Stefanski hire. He had a losing record in Cleveland and they didn’t like the way he handled the Shedeur Sanders situation. They LOVE Deion in the ATL. It’s a Black city, has one of the Blackest fan bases in the NFL, and they have a Black QB on their roster – so many ATL fans are turning a blind eye to this hire. Stefanski won’t be having a honeymoon there.”
Hill further clarified his interpretation of Stefanski’s hiring.
“Because some of you got it wrong: The ATL fans I know aren’t saying Deion should have been the coach over Stefanski. They’re saying they don’t trust Stefanski because they don’t like the way he treated Shedeur. They loved Deion. They additionally love Shedeur,” he added.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on before the game against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 7, 2025, at Huntington Bank Field. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)
EX-STEELERS STAR CRITICISM HIRING OF MIKE MCCARTHY’S HEAD COACHING
Hill added that “people feel that way” and that, in his opinion, Falcons fans should give Stefanski an opportunity to prove himself.
“However, for the reasons I have stated, reactions to the hiring have been mixed at best,” he wrote.
Hill’s assessment met with backlash at X.
The Falcons have largely underachieved on offense since Tom Brady retired from the NFL, with a younger group and a weaker division.
Jemele Hill speaks on stage during the 56th NAACP Image Awards Benefit Concert at the Pasadena Convention Center on February 22, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
Stefanski managed to get a lot out of the Browns organization, ending the team’s drought of playoff wins in 2020. He was named Coach of the Year twice and had an overall score of 45-56.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on X and subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
